Somewhere, Out There
by Anonymous Uke
Summary: With humanity locked in seemingly endless conflict with itself, a young space marine and a daring pilot must save the galaxy from a far more sinister foe looming just beyond the horizon. SciFi, Ameripan, Yaoi.
1. Just Another Mission

Hey Everyone! There are few things to be aware of before you start reading this fic.

1) This is NOT a continuation of _Ask America_, but it is based on the events that transpired in said fic.

2) This story contains/will contain YAOI. This is a fair warning.

3) Much like _Ask America_, any time there is a random phrase in italics, it is Kiku's thoughts.

That's about it. I hope you enjoy it!

* * *

><p>In the year 2034, the nations of the world clashed in what was the longest, bloodiest war in history. When the ashes settled, the world was controlled by six major powers: the Empire of the Rising Sun, based in Japan; the European Union, based in the UK; the Arab League, based in Turkey; the Latin Federation, based in Brazil; the African Union, based in South Africa; and the Red Republic, based in Moscow. In the year 2341, these great powers set their sights on the stars, starting the first ever space colonies. Each entity's power grew immensely. In the year 2445, Chinese engineers discovered an element that could be transformed into any element. It was dubbed "Element Zen." The Red Republic attempted to keep this discovery secret, but British spies quickly sniffed it out, revealing its discovery to the world. Within months, humanity had begun the largest land grab the in human history. This "gold rush" led to conflict after conflict, dividing the six factions with deep-run resentment and mistrust.<p>

It is the year 2772. The Latin Federation has been consumed entirely by the Red Republic. The Arab League and the African Union have fused in order to prevent them from facing the same fate. The European Union and the Empire of the Rising Sun are more than strong enough to hold their own against the Red Republic, but the emperor is not willing to chance his legacy being consumed. He commissions an exploration corvette, the _ISS Yami_, to find a habitable world beyond the Void, the massive emptiness between the Orion arm and the Perseus arm of the Milky Way. His hopes are that if the Red Republic's ambition should get out of hand, he will have a place to flee with his people.

The _ISS Yami_, a relatively small vehicle, has crew of only 27 personnel. 17 of them are true crewmembers while the remaining ten are space marines, one of which is a young man named Kiku Honda. On September 3rd, the _ISS Yami_ sets out from the imperial flagship, the _ISS Amaterasu_. It sails for nine days before reaching the threshold of the Void.

"Ensign Soo, status report," orders the captain.

"All systems are green. We are ready when you are," replies Soo.

"Lieutenant Kaoru, raise the _Amaterasu_," orders the captain.

"Yes sir," replies Kaoru. The Admiral appears on the communication screen.

"This is it. Due to stealth precautions, this will be our last transmission until we return from the beyond the Void… That is, if we return," says the captain.

"Understood, _Yami_. Take heart, for this is a noble voyage. May the goddess watch over you all. _Amaterasu_ out," replies the Admiral. The screen goes black.

The _ISS Yami_ continues on into the Void. The captain walks throughout the ship, checking on his crewmen. Ensign Soo is listening to his favorite Korean pop band, mouthing the lyrics silently. Lieutenant Kaoru is playing mahjong on his PHI (personal holographic interface). The space marines are sitting around, telling stories about their girlfriends back home. All of them, that is, except Kiku. Kiku is off sitting in a corner, reading a book. The captain notices this and approaches Kiku.

"Why aren't you sitting with your friends?" asks the captain.

"Friend and squad mate are not synonymous, captain," replies Kiku.

"I see… What are you reading?" asks the captain.

"It is a historical account of a powerful empire that existed on earth long ago," replies Kiku.

"Is that so? Tell me about it," says the captain, taking a seat beside Kiku.

"Well, in the year AD 1776, a group of thirteen colonies on the eastern coast of the North American continent rebelled against the British Empire. They were successful, establishing a new nation called the United States of America. This nation became very powerful, but they did not wield their power wisely. Many nations grew to resent them, mostly because no nation ever defeated them in conventional warfare. Eventually, the United States realized that they were universally hated. In response to this, they built thirteen dreadnought class starships, loading the best and the brightest Americans to be taken from earth. In AD 2026, the dreadnoughts left earth, never to return. There are many different theories as to what happened to them, but most scholars think that they were wiped out," replies Kiku.

The captain smirks. "Are scholars always so pessimistic?" he asks.

"I couldn't tell you," replies Kiku.

After a few moments of silence, the captain speaks. "You want them to still be alive, don't you?"

"Yes… Yes I do," replies Kiku.

The captain smiles and puts his hand on the young marine's back. "We'll see. Who knows? They may be waiting for us just beyond the Void!" he says with a cheesy smile.

"Not likely, captain," replies Kiku.

The captain smiles and pats Kiku on the back before returning to the bridge.

The voyage continues on for eight more days. The crew is becoming restless as they ran out of things to do two days ago. Kiku, however, is surprisingly calm. He brought a large stack of books with him. He is not even half way through them. As he is flipping through one with pictures, he comes across an American flag. He crinkles his nose and smirks at the sight of it. _What a funny looking flag_. He flips a few more pages until he stumbles upon a picture of Americans from the year 2013. _The men are quite handsome, especially the ones with blonde hair_. He flips a few more pages, stopping when a food item catches his eye. It is a hamburger. _What a disgusting looking sandwich!_ Kiku is thoroughly amused by the prospect of "America."

20 more days go by. Kiku has finished all of his books. He now spends his time looking at the pictures, especially the ones of blonde American men. On the 28th day of the voyage, Kiku is sleeping in his rack when his squad leader bursts into the room. "All of you, to the bridge, now!" he shouts. The marines scramble to make their way to the bridge, some still in their boxers. Upon arriving, Kiku's breath is taken away by the sight. There is a beautiful jungle world before him with lush green continents and deep blue oceans. "Men, we have traversed the Void!" says the captain triumphantly. The crew cheers. Kiku gives his trademark soft smile and tilted head, his imagination running wild of what they might find on the surface.


	2. First Contact

Hey guys and gals! Here is chapter 2! I actually had chapter 1 & 2 combined, but I decided to split them up so that I don't set a 2,000-2,500 word standard for myself. Anyway, I hope that you enjoy the next exciting chapter of _Somewhere, Out There_.

* * *

><p>The next morning, the <em>ISS Yami<em> begins its trek around the planet, which is roughly four times the size of earth. They are collecting atmospheric and ecological data as well as scanning for any signs of civilization. After about three hours of coasting along, Ensign Soo picks up something on radar.

"Captain, you may want to come take a look at this," he says.

The captain makes his way over to the radar station. "What do we have?" he asks.

"Sir, we have massive signature at 300 kilometers," replies Soo.

"Any idea what it is?" asks the captain.

"No sir, but I can tell you that it is a metal structure," replies Soo.

"All right then. Make sure that all stealth systems are active, and take us in very slowly," orders the captain.

"Yes sir," replies Soo.

They sail toward the object at a painfully slow pace. As they close distance with the structure, it becomes very evident that it is a space station. Stranger still, its architecture is obviously of human design. The captain calls the marine squad leader to the bridge.

"What do you think? Is it worth investigating?" asks the captain.

"I'd say so. It may give us a hint as to who we are dealing with here," replies the squad leader.

"Very well, ready your team. You board in ten," says the captain.

The squad leader returns to the marines' quarters and briefs them on the situation. The ten marines suit up and prepare to board, plasma rifles in hand. They all gather in the airlock and strap themselves in. Once the chamber decompresses, they unstrap themselves and use their jet packs to slowly hover over to the station nearest entrance. Once inside, the squad leader says, "we have no idea what we are going to find in here. Stay frosty." The other marines simply nod. He then orders them to split up into two groups of three and one group of four. Kiku is with one of the groups of three. "Stay in radio contact at all times. If you run into anything that even remotely poses a threat, gun it down," orders the squad leader.

As the teams make their way deeper into the derelict station, it becomes increasingly obvious that its current state is due to a battle. Burn marks from energy weapons are scattered all throughout the long corridors. Evidence of laser sword struggles are evident as well, but there are no signs of any life, or that there ever was any life in the first place. After several minutes, Kiku's team comes upon a sealed door. "Sir, we have a sealed door. Should we breach it or continue?" asks Kiku into his headset. "Breach it," replies the squad leader. Kiku turns and nods at his squad mates. The squad mate nearest the door pulls out an ion welder. He methodically melts away at the door until the lock mechanism falls off. He carefully slides open the door. To the horror of the marines, it is a chest of corpses… human corpses.

"Oh my God…" says one of the marines.

"What? What's wrong?" asks the concerned squad leader.

"The room we breached is filled with human corpses, sir," replies Kiku.

"Find out what happened to them," orders the squad leader.

"Yes sir," replies Kiku.

The three marines slowly make their way into the room, checking their backs and corners constantly. Kiku approaches one of the corpses sitting on the floor with its back against the wall. He kneels down and wipes the dust from the visor, revealing a skull. _This battle must have taken place some time ago_. Kiku continues to wipe dust off of the corpse until he reveals something that he never expected to see. There, painted on the right chest plate, is the American flag. Just as Kiku is about to contact his squad leader, he hears a strange voice coming from across the room. One of his squad mates has stumbled across a holographic recording. Kiku stands up and walks over to where the hologram is being displayed. The message was grim.

_If you are listening to this message, you have to get out of this room now! What am I saying? You have to get off of this whole damn station! One of the life forms we collected from Tentessa has proven too ravenous and reproduce too quickly! They come so fast, millions of them! They bore into your suit and devour flesh within seconds leaving nothing but bone! We've trapped a good number of them in this room with us, but the pyros' fuel won't last forever. When it does… well… whoever is watching this, tell Maria I love her. Oh yeah! One last thing; some of our personnel were jettisoned in the escape pods. If any survived, please search for them. That's all I have time to say. Long live the United States of America!_

The recording ends. The two squad mates look at Kiku. "What are we waiting for? Let's move!" says Kiku. As they leave the room, Kiku's heart sinks as he hears the sound of billions of tiny crawling creatures coming from the room. "Shit! Move!" yells Kiku.

"Sir, come in!" yells Kiku into his comm.

"What is that noise?"

"Sir, we've got movement!"

"There is something alive in the walls!

"Fuck! Shoot them! Shoot them!"

"There's too many AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGHHHH!

"Everyone, get back to the ship, now!"

Kiku is stricken with terror. Everything in him is screaming to not look back, but he can't help it. He turns his head to see billions of tiny creatures covering the walls, ceiling, and floor. No metal is visible in their wake. Within moments, one of Kiku's squad mates are overtaken and consumed. Kiku runs for his life.

"Have the air lock open and ready for us!" shouts the squad leader into the comm.

Kiku turns the corner to see the exit. He runs as fast as he can. As he nears the exit, he sees the _ISS Yami_ with airlock open. He leaps across the endless chasm, not quite making it. His squad leader grabs his hand and pulls him into the airlock just in time. The _ISS Yami_ pulls away from the station immediately. The surviving seven marines stumble into the bridge.

"What in the happened in there?" asks the captain, as worried as he is agitated.

"Some scientists were studying…*pant*… life forms from this planet. One of them escaped…*pant*… and killed the whole crew," replies the squad leader.

"Not all of them…*pant*… sir. My team found a recording…*pant*… that said some were jettisoned to the planet's surface…*pant*… and may have survived. We have to rescue them!" says Kiku.

"Why?" asks the captain.

"Because…*pant*… They are American," replies Kiku.


	3. The Rescue

Hey guys! Here is chapter 03! This one is pretty action packed. I hope you enjoy it. I typed this in thirty minutes, so I hope that it is not horrendously painful to read. Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

><p>"The answer is no! We have all ready lost three marines to one life form from this planet. The goddess only knows what fearsome beast we will find down there!" says the marine squad leader firmly. The captain puts his index finger and thumb on his temples, rubbing them in a circular motion.<p>

"Listen. I understand your concern about the well being of your men, but the diplomatic implications of a rescue are too huge to pass up. For instance, what if the Empire just starts sending colony ships to this sector without notifying the Americans? How do you think that they would react? How would the emperor react? Hm?" asks the captain, his arms folded.

"He would… he would drive them out with great prejudice," concedes the marine leader.

"Exactly! Now, you are going to assemble your men and rescue whoever you can. My hope is that the Americans will offer us help in return. I'm sure their hatred for Communism is still alive and well," orders the captain.

"Understood… sir," grumbles the marine leader as he leaves the captain's quarters. He returns to the marines' quarters, stopping for a moment to glare at Kiku. "If anymore of my boys die, it's on your head, Honda," he growls. Kiku hangs his head, knowing that this mission was his idea. Once again, the marines suit up, boarding the drop ship. The drop ship lifts off and leaves the hangar bay. The marine squad leader is in the cockpit with the pilot. He puts on a headset and contacts the _ISS Yami_.

"_Yami_, this is Oni 1, can you got anything for us?" asks the squad leader.

"Roger that Oni 1. Initial scans show signs of electrical activity about 14 leagues north/north-east of your current position," replies Ensign Soo.

"Understood, adjusting trajectory. Keep us posted, Oni 1 out," says the squad leader, taking off the head set.

"I can land you within one league of the location designated by the _Yami_," says the pilot.

"Close enough," replies the squad leader, patting the pilot on the shoulder.

The drop ship reaches its destination in roughly eleven minutes. Upon landing, the marines storm down the ramp and set up a perimeter. "Perimeter secure!" shouts one of the marines. "Roger that! Move out! Honda, you take point!" shouts the squad leader. Kiku runs to the front of the group as they begin their trek through the dense jungle.

The jungle is thicker than they imagined. The sunlight can just barely make it to the jungle floor, giving it the appearance of dusk. After about an hour of traversing the emerald abyss, the marines come to a clearing overlooking a vast valley. The scene is breath taking. Exotic alien birds fly through the sky chirping melodiously. The awe is broken when suddenly, something comes through the clouds. It appears to be a flaming meteor, but not quite big enough. The marines run and duck behind a fallen log. One of the marines takes out a pair of scanning binoculars, watching the object as it makes its flaming descent.

"What is it, corporal?" asks the squad leader.

"It's synthetic, looks like some kind drop pod, sir," replies the marine.

The pod crashes into the valley with a thunderous boom, scorching everything within twenty meters of the point of impact. The corporal watches intently through the binoculars. Suddenly, the pod opens, releasing a plume of steam. Once the steam clears, something terrifying is revealed. A 2 ½ meter tall robot with one, single red eye, steps out of the pod. Its right sports a Gatling laser, and its left arm is tipped with a 1 ½ meter long laser sword. It begins to scan the area with a lattice of red lasers. After a few seconds of scanning, it trucks off into the jungle's thick underbrush.

"I didn't need binoculars to see that, corporal. We've got a problem," says the squad leader.

Kiku, still taking it all in, has a frightening realization. He pulls up his PHI map. His eyes become huge. "Sir, according to my nav, whatever that thing was is headed straight for the American escape pods!" says Kiku urgently.

"Well then, looks like we better move!" says the squad leader. The marines jump up and run toward their destination. As they get closer, they can here the robot crashing through the trees. The squad leader holds up his fist, ordering the marines to halt. He points at Kiku and motions for him to move up and scope out the area. Kiku moves forward very slowly. He takes a few steps when suddenly, he steps off of a steep decline, losing his footing and rolling down the ten meter decline. The robot immediately stops, turning his head toward the noise and scanning. Kiku, who had fallen into some bushes, opens his eyes to see nothing. Suddenly, the robot's foor slams down in front of the bush. Kiku is paralyzed with fear as the cold metal clutches grab him and lift him into the air. The robot scans him, then, to Kiku's surprise, says, "Species: Human. Terminate." Kiku screams.

The robot's attention is drawn away from Kiku by the remaining six marines shouting and storming down the hill, firing at the metal fiend. It drops Kiku, aiming its Gatling laser at the squad. It opens fire, gunning down two marines immediately. The other four take cover, but Kiku is sitting on his butt, paralyzed. "What are you doing, Honda?" Get your ass out of there!" yells the squad leader. Kiku does not budge. The squad leader, realizing that Kiku cannot bring himself to move, takes out a picture of his wife and daughter. He holds it up to his visor and kisses the air, a tear rolling down his cheek. In his final act of valor, he runs out from behind cover, shouting and pelting the robot with plasma rounds. The robot guards his face with his gun arm and starts charging the squad leader. He reaches the squad leader and knocks him up against a tree. The squad leader drops his gun. The robot then picks him up by the throat. "Kiku… earn this…" he chokes out just before the robot impales him in the chest with the laser sword. The robot then throws his lifeless corpse to the ground.

Kiku is suddenly aware again. He jumps up and begins to run. The robot chases after him. The robot opens fire, the lasers chopping and burning through everything in their way. One hits Kiku in the arm, knocking him to the ground. He rolls onto his back and uses his feet to push himself up against a fallen log. The robot slowly approaches him, rearing back his sword arm. Just as he is about to bring the blade to bear on Kiku, a thunderous boom sounds close by. Suddenly, the robot's Gatling laser arm explodes into tiny pieces. The robot is stunned. Within seconds, another boom resounds. This time, the robot's legs explode at the knees. It falls to the ground, letting out a cacophony of robotic noises.

A stranger clad in highly advanced armor begins walking toward Kiku. He is carrying a massive rifle of some sort. He walks over to the robot and rolls it onto its back with one foot. He puts that same foot on its chest and puts the muzzle of the rifle right to the robot's eye. Without hesitation, he pulls the trigger, annihilating the robot's head. The unit shuts down immediately, all internal noise ceasing. He then sits down on the robot's corpse (or what is left of it). The mouth piece of his helmet opens, revealing it to be human. He takes out a cigarette and begins to smoke. After a few seconds, he looks at Kiku and says, "Hell of a gun, huh?"


	4. The American

Howdy howdy howdy! Here is chapter 04 of _Somewhere, Out There_. It is getting good. Next chapter, you'll get to see the American homeworld, Washington! By the way, the planets owned by the United States of America are Washington (capital), Rushmore, Mojave, Cherokee, Plymouth, Hudson, Niagara, and Providence. Also, next chapter is where the Ameripan begins to develop! *fangirl squeel*... I'm a dude... \_(u_u)_/

* * *

><p>The stranger sits in silence, methodically taking puffs of his cigarette. "You guys aren't the rescue party, are you?" asks the stranger. Kiku remains silent. "Well, I highly doubt that you are enterprising thrill seekers looking to get your asses kicked by a Sandulhari mech. So, who are you then?" asks the stranger.<p>

"We are 'a' rescue party, perhaps not 'the' rescue party," says a voice. Knowing that voice, Kiku lifts he head and looks around frantically. The squad leader is limping toward him, his fellow marines holding him up.

"Wow… You're one tough son of a bitch," says the stranger, taking one last puff of his cigarette before putting it out on the robot's mangled torso. Kiku jumps up to help set the squad leader down and lean him against a tree.

"How bad is it, sir?" asks Kiku.

"Bad…*cough cough*… I probably have about an hour. It ruined my left…*cough cough*… left lung, and it nicked my heart," replies the squad leader, the pain evident in his voice.

"You have longer than that, soldier," says the stranger, walking up and kneeling down in front of the squad leader. He presses a button on his left chest plate, opening a compartment. He pulls out what appears to be a tube of tooth paste. He inserts the nozzle into the squad leader's laceration, squeezing a clear gel into the wound. The squad leader grunts as it burns like rubbing alcohol. "This stem-cell gelatin should do the trick. Give it 24 hours, and it'll look like nothing ever happened," says the stranger.

"Th-thank you…*cough cough*…" replies the captain. "I think I can… I can stand. Help me up." The stranger grabs his arm and helps him up. "What's your name, soldier?" asks the squad leader.

The stranger takes a step back. He puts his hands behind his head and unlatches his helmet. He removes his helmet slowly. Kiku's heart begins to race as strands of golden hair fall down around his head and face. He latches his helmet to a clip on his waist and brushes the luscious locks out of his face, revealing his wondrous blue eyes. Kiku is mezmorized. _He is so, so handsome!_ He holds out a hand to be shaken and says, "The name's Alfred Jones, United States Star Force." The squad leader shakes his hand.

"So you're American after all. There you go, Kiku. An American, in the flesh!" says the squad leader, looking over his shoulder at Kiku. Kiku slowly approaches Alfred until he is uncomfortably close, but Alfred does not budge.

"Wait… What do you mean, 'American after all?'" asks Alfred. "Did I miss something?"

The squad leader looks at Kiku, motioning for him to speak. Kiku sheepishly looks Alfred in the eyes, a blush appearing immediately. "We… We are not American. We are actually… Well… Please do not be alarmed, but we are…from… earth," stammers Kiku.

Alfred leans on one leg and folds his arms, observing the Japanese men carefully. "Well. I'll. Be. Damned." He says, a smirk on his face. "So… let me get this straight. You guys left earth, travelled across the Void, and took on a Sandulhari mech just to rescue me? That's pretty farfetched if you ask me."

"We did not come to rescue you, but Honda here is sooooo obsessed with Americans that he just HAD to see one in person," replies the squad leader, pointing at Kiku. Alfred turns to Kiku, a puzzled yet intrigued look on his face.

"Someone from earth is interested in the Exiled Ones?" asks Alfred in almost a whisper. Kiku knew exactly what he was talking about. "I'm… hmm… interesting… Speaking of being exiled, do you guys have a way off this rock?" asks Alfred.

"Yeah, we have a drop ship about a league south-west of our current location. But before we go, are there any others that made it?" asks the squad leader.

"No, and let's get moving before we end up joining them. We can walk and talk," says Alfred. He puts his hand on Kiku's lower back and gives him a push. _Ohmigosh Ohmigosh Ohmigosh! He touched me!_ They make their way back to the drop ship and leave the planet. They dock back at the _Yami_. When the ramp lowers and and this blonde hair, blue eyed American descends into the hangar bay, the crew looks on in amazement. The squad leader leads him to the bridge to meet the captain.

"I see the rescue mission was a success," says the captain.

"Partially, I was the only one who made it out, but that is not your team's fault. Seven of the nine that jettisoned died on impact or landed in water and drowned. The eighth drowned in quick sand," says Alfred.

"That is unfortunate," replies the captain.

"More than you know. We lost Dr. Richard Jeeves on that station. He is one of the smartest biologists we have," Alfred says solemnly.

"May they find peace in the embrace of their gods, but as for you, we need to get you home," says the captain.

"Actually, my home can come to us. All I need is to use your com system, and I can call my mother ship," replies Alfred.

"Be my guest," says the captain, gesturing toward the com hub. Alfred walks over and puts on a headset. "Boost the power to full," orders the captain. Alfred begins playing with some knobs and buttons on the console. "Geeze… these controls are… primordial…" he says under his breath. He finally finds the frequency he is seeking.

"This is Captain Alfred Jones of the 6th fighter wing, 2nd division. Can anyone hear me? Repeat: This is Captain Alfred Jones of the 6th fighter wing, 2nd division. Can anyone hear me?" he says. _He is a captain?_ Suddenly, someone picks up the signal.

"Captain Jones, this is Fleet Admiral James Archer of the flagship _USS Manifest Destiny_. We read you loud and clear. What's the situation?" asks the Admiral.

"Sir, I need a pick up. I am the sole survivor of a specimen outbreak at Idaho Station. Repeat: I need immediate evacuation. Sending my coordinates now," replies Alfred.

"Understood. Pinpointing your location… Warping in five, four, three, two…"

The crew rushes to the observation window to see the ship warp in. They get more than they bargained for. The ship that warps in is at the least three times larger than any ship anyone has built back in Orion arm. _Wow! This is so cool!_ The _ISS Yami_ is granted permission to dock inside the super dreadnought.


	5. An Unexpected Gift

Ok, so I owe everyone an apology. You will not get to see the US Capital in this chapter, BUT you will get to see the genesis of Kiku and Alfred's love for one another. *squeeeeeeeeeeee* Anyway, I hope you all enjoy it! Keep the reviews coming!

* * *

><p>Kiku is so nervous, his hands are shaking. Alfred is standing right beside him. The ramp begins to lower, the light from the hangar bay pouring into the air lock. The captain takes a deep breath before descending the ramp. The path is lined by three rows of soldiers on either side. An elderly, well decorated officer, presumably Fleet Admiral James Archer, enters through a door at the far side of the room. All of the soldiers salute. The Admiral makes his way down the path to the captain of the <em>ISS Yami<em>. He holds out his hand to be shaken, saying, "welcome to the _USS Manifest Destiny_. I am Admiral Archer."

"I am Captain Kyouya of the _ISS Yami_. It is an honor to meet you," replies the captain.

The two finish shaking hands. _Admiral Archer stands with such dignity. He looks a lot like an old Alfred_. "I trust that my grandson hasn't given you any trouble," continues the Admiral, looking over Kyouya's shoulder at Alfred with raised eyebrow. _I knew it!_ Alfred steps out to greet his grandfather.

"Hey, gramps, I hope you didn't have any heart attacks on my account. Hehe," says Alfred, rubbing the back of his neck. The Admiral's countenance remains stern. "I'll take it you're not amused," continues Alfred.

The Admiral says nothing, pushing Alfred to the side with one arm. "Captain Kyouya, how would you like to dine with me and the other senior officers this evening?" asks the Admiral.

"My crew and I would be honored," replies the captain.

"Excellent. I will see you in my cabin at 1830. As for you, Alfred Jones, I need to have a word with you immediately," says the Admiral. A look of dread befalls Alfred. As he and the Admiral are leaving, Alfred looks back. Of all the people he looks at, he looks directly at Kiku. Kiku blushes immediately, hiding his pink cheeks behind his squad leader. _He just looked at me… Out of all of us standing here, he looked directly at me!_ Kiku's thoughts are interrupted by an American soldier saying, "Follow me." He escorts them to a comfortable lounge to wait until dinner. The lounge has VR (virtual reality) games, billiards, comfy couches, and a bar. The American soldier tells them to makes themselves at home. They oblige without hesitation.

The evening finally comes. The Japanese crew is escorted to the officer's dining hall. The Admiral, who is all ready seated, motions for them to take their seats. Captain Kyouya sits beside the Admiral. Kiku is scanning for a seat when he spots Alfred. To Kiku's terror( and joy), Alfred motions for Kiku to sit beside him. Kiku reluctantly complies, but on the inside, he runs to Alfred. Once all of the crew is seated, the food is brought out. As they eat, each section of the table is having its own little discussion. As Kiku is eating, he glances over to find Alfred looking at him.

"I never got your names," says Alfred in a soft voice that almost melts Kiku.

"My name is Kiku Honda," replies Kiku softly.

"That means 'super cute,' right?" asks Alfred with a big smile. Kiku immediately feels his face turning red. Alfred, noticing Kiku's embarrassment, chuckles. "So, how's your arm?" asks Alfred.

"I-It's good," replies Kiku, putting his hand over where the laser struck his arm.

"Let me see," says Alfred, moving Kiku's hand. The laser burn is about three centimeters deep. As Alfred observes the wound, he is holding Kiku's other hand in his. _His hands are so… strong._ Without realizing, Kiku tightens his grip on Alfred's hand. Alfred looks up at him and smiles, tightening his own grip. Kiku smiles softly, looking Alfred in the eyes. They stare into each other's eyes for a few moments before Alfred looks back down at the wound. "It looks good. There's no infection, but it's a shame that such an unsightly wound ruined such nice… soft skin," says Alfred, rubbing Asian's perfect skin around the wound with his thumb. Kiku watches Alfred's hand intently. After a few seconds, Alfred pulls Kiku's sleeve back down over the wound. He turns back to his plate and takes a bite of his pecan crusted chicken breast. "So, what are some things that you are interested in?" asks Alfred.

"Americans," replies Kiku.

Alfred smirks. "American what? Anything in specific?"

"American history, culture, everything really," replies Kiku.

"Is that so? What is it about an exiled, hated people that interests you so much?" asks Alfred.

"I… I don't know. The mystery, I guess," replies Kiku.

"Well, I'm… charmed by your interest," says Alfred. Kiku looks at him and smiles. For the rest of the night, the two exchange small talk, getting to know each other a little better. Once dinner is over, they both stand up and face one another. "Well, Kiku, it's been fun. I hope to see you again soon," says Alfred.

"Indeed it has, Alfred-san. I hope that we may do this again sometime as well," says Kiku, smiling and tilting his head. The two part ways for the night. The next morning, the crew of the _Yami_ meets with Admiral Archer in the briefing room. Once all are seated, the Admiral begins the meeting.

"So, it is my duty to ask you why earthborn are here in the Perseus arm," says the Admiral.

"It is a long story, but I will try to condense it. The forces of Communism are on the rise back home. They have all ready consumed 1/3 of the human population. Our emperor sent us beyond the Void to find a world that we could inhabit and make a refuge world for colonies that fall to the red scourge," says Captain Kyouya. The Admiral and his senior officers look at each other. The Admiral finally speaks.

"I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to bring a war to our shores without us knowing our enemy. I am willing to send an ambassador and recon team back with you to assess the situation, but beyond that, the answer is currently no," he says. Captain Kyouya reluctantly agrees to these terms. The _ISS Yami_ is refueled and refitted for a safe voyage back across the Void.

As the crew is lining up to board the corvette, Kiku is visibly disappointed. _I can't believe this! We came all this way, found a derelict space station, fought a killer robot, and met Americans… AMERICANS! And now, we are just… just… leaving! I may never get to come back here… and see Alfred…_ Kiku's thoughts are interrupted by a hand on his shoulder. He turns to see Alfred's wonderful blue eyes.

"Hey, Kiku, I remember you said at dinner last night that you were interested in American culture and stuff. So, I was wondering if you would be interested in… in staying here, with me," proposes Alfred. Kiku cannot believe his ears. He turns to his squad leader who, having heard Alfred's proposal, is all ready looking at Kiku. Seeing the longing in Kiku's eyes, the squad leader nods in approval. Kiku turns back to Alfred, his hair swaying with the turn. Alfred is visibly pleased by this.

"Yes! I want to stay!" says Kiku excitedly. Alfred takes Kiku's hand and places something in it. Kiku looks down to see a blue card key with the Great Seal of the United States on it. "What is this?" asks Kiku.

"As long as you have that device on your person, you are effectively an American citizen. I had gramps pull a few strings with the capital," replies Alfred. Kiku looks back down at the card key in amazement. _Me? An… American?_ Kiku looks back up at Alfred, a smile stretching from ear to ear. Without thinking, he hugs Alfred, squeezing him tightly. Alfred chuckles, returning the hug.


	6. America the Beautiful

There is not much I really can say about this chapter. I hope you guys like it. I promise there will be tons of action in this story. I promise! Anyway, enjoy the Ameripan chapter (well, the first of many)!

* * *

><p>Alfred is sound asleep. On the other hand, Kiku is beaming with excitement, talking to Americans of all sorts aboard the commercial frigate. He talks to men, women, children, and every different profession he can find. His inquiry blitz is brought to an end by an announcement.<p>

"_Attention, all passengers, this is your captain speaking. We are nearing Washington now. We will be at Wright Spaceport in thirty minutes. Please take your seats until further notice. Thank you."_

Kiku reluctantly returns to his seat. Upon seeing Alfred sleeping, he puffs out his cheeks in annoyance. _How can he sleep at a time like this?_ Kiku crawls over Alfred to look out of the window. The planet is lit up like a Christmas tree. A huge smile stretches across Kiku's face. Alfred, being awoken by Kiku, asks, "Are you excited?" Kiku turns his head sharply, "you have no idea, Alfred-san." Alfred smiles, putting his hand on Kiku's lower back. _Oh my… his touch…_ Kiku slowly slides back into his seat. He pulls out a map of the capital city.

"What are you going to show me first, Alfred-san?" Kiku asks.

"Put your finger anywhere on the map, kid," Alfred replies. _Kid… I like that…_ Kiku gives a soft smile, putting his finger on a colossal building.

"This one. I want to see this one," says Kiku.

"Hmmm, let's see…" Alfred leans over to look where Kiku's finger landed. "Oh, the Great Union Theatre. Wanna see a play?" asks Alfred. Kiku gasps, looking at Alfred elatedly.

"I would love to, Alfred-san," Kiku replies, putting his hand on Alfred's knee. Alfred puts his hand on top of Kiku's. They both look each other in the eye, smiling softly. Kiku leans his head on Alfred's shoulder and closes his eyes.

"Alfred-san, why are you so kind to me?" Kiku asks, staring out of the window.

"Well, I just think that it would be a shame for such a beautiful creature to be treated any less," replies Alfred, taking Kiku's hand in his and holding it softly. Kiku tightens his grip.

"You are quite charming, Alfred-san," Kiku sighs.

"I try my best, and by the way, it's just Alfred," he says. Kiku smirks.

"All right, Alfred," Kiku replies in a snide voice. Suddenly, Kiku feels a hand on his chin. He opens his eyes to see Alfred's deep blue eyes staring intensely into his own brown eyes. Without warning, Alfred softly presses his lips against Kiku's. Kiku, who is usually not one for public affection of this degree, does not resist in the least. Instead, Kiku wraps his arms around Alfred's broad, muscular shoulder, pulling him closer. Alfred responds by putting his hands on Kiku's soft sides, drawing his midsection in. Kiku's breathe hitches. Alfred holds tighter. For just a moment in time, they are the only two people in the whole universe. After what seemed like not long enough, the kiss came to an end.

"I… I am… That was amazing…" stutters Alfred. Kiku, at a complete loss for words, simply hugs Alfred, burying his face in the American's chest. Alfred holds him with great love and care.

"Yes. Yes it was," mumbles Kiku through Alfred's clothes. Kiku lifts his head at the sound of another announcement.

"_Attention, all passengers, this is your captain speaking. We have now landed at Wright Spaceport. Please exit the vessel in a calm and orderly fashion. Your baggage will be in baggage claim in five minutes. Thank you for taking American Eagle. Have a nice day."_

Kiku and Alfred walked out of the spaceport terminal, Alfred carrying the bags. "Alfred, are you sure that you don't want my help?" asks Kiku. "Yeah, I'm sure," replies Alfred. The two board the monorail leading into the capital. Alfred takes the bags to the baggage car before returning to where Kiku is sitting. "You're going to want to be by the window, trust me," says Alfred with a wink. Kiku gives an amused smile, moving over to the window seat. Alfred takes his seat. The monorail departs shortly. As they approach the capital, the monorail must pass through a canyon. As they near the mouth of the canyon, Alfred nudges Kiku, pointing out of the window at something. Kiku looks to see what Alfred is pointing at. Kiku is struck speechless at the site.

There, on either side of the great canyon, stand the ever vigilant guardians of America. On the right, Lady Liberty with her torch and tablets, the flame lighting the way for those who seek true freedom. The shackles of oppression lie broken at her feet, never to afflict the American people again. On the left, Justice stands proud and tall. The blindfolded maiden points the sword of judgment skyward, calling on providence to guide her hand. From the other hand hang the scales of truth, a testament to America's ideal of old, "hard but fair." The statues are carved into the side of the canyon, each being over three times larger than the statue of liberty back on earth. Kiku is overwhelmed, his eyes becoming misty.

The monorail travels through the canyon, which is in itself a marvelous sight. As it nears the canyon's exit, Kiku presses his face up against the glass window, staring in disbelief at what he is seeing. The capital city, which is perfectly circular, is surrounded by four colossi. To the southeast stands Theodore Roosevelt, to the southwest stands Thomas Jefferson, to the northwest stands Abraham Lincoln, and to the northeast stands George Washington. Each statue is facing away from city, holding his right hand up as if to be holding off any one who would attack the city. These statues are comparable in size to the two colossi at the entrance to the canyon.

The monorail finally comes to a stop at Franklin Station. Kiku and Alfred make slowly but surely make their way out of the hectic station and into a cab [which is a hover car, like one from star wars on Courescant(spelling?)]. "Great Union Theatre," says Alfred. The driver nods and takes off. Once they arrive, Kiku slowly steps out of the car, his mouth agape at the sight of the theatre. This building alone was a marvel of architecture. The theatre is located in an elevated sector of the city. Kiku turns around to gaze out at the magnificent metropolis.

"Alfred, I… I don't know what to say. It is more beautiful than I ever could have imagined in even my wildest dreams," says Kiku. Alfred takes Kiku's hand.

"…I know."


	7. Trouble Back Home

Hey Everybody! I am so sorry for the wait! I was working on my other story, ANGEL, which can be found on Fiction Press, this site's sister site. Siteception. Anyway, here is chapter 07. I hope y'all like it!

* * *

><p>*Meanwhile*<p>

The 2nd Fleet of the European Union is at a stand-off with the Red Republic's Dragon Fleet over the resource rich planet known as Feltesia. The captain of the European flagship, the _EUS Europa_, storms onto the bridge. "Ensign Bonnefoy, raise their flagship!" he orders. "Oui, capitaine," replies the ensign. A well decorated Chinese officer appears on screen.

"Ah, Captain Arthur Kirkland, we meet at last. I have heard of your exploits in the Guundarian Rift. Quite impressive, aru," says the Admiral with a snide smirk.

"Enough of this game, Admiral Yao! Pull your fleet back immediately. The European Union has had a claim on this planet for six months," snaps Arthur.

"Ah, yes. You should know by now that words and documents mean nothing the Red Republic. Funny, I cannot help but to point out the grave level of hypocrisy in this situation. During the great European imperial race of the 1800s, the rule was, if I recall, 'boots on the ground.' We, have the boots. You have nothing. You pull back or face the might of Dragon Fleet, aru," retorts Admiral Yao.

"Then you leave me no choice. By the time this battle is over, you will be as the creature for which your fleet was named: nonexistent. FIRE!"

Suddenly, ships on both sides open fire. Within moments, ships are exploding on either side. Captain Arthur grabs a microphone and broadcasts, "We are under attack! Scramble all fighters!" At the sound of this message, Major Ludwig Beilschmidt and his brother Gilbert put on their flight helmets and climb into the nearest star fighter. They, along with many others, takeoff and speed toward the enemy fleet. As they race toward their target, the Dragon Fleet's fight squadrons deploy. They almost double the number of European fighters. "Heilige Scheiße! All right everyone! This is it! ATTACK!" shouts Ludwig. The fighters clash in a flurry of lasers and explosions.

Captain Arthur contacts the head of the heavy gunship division, Captain Basch Zwingli. "Captain Zwingli, we need those carriers destroyed immediately!" says Arthur.

"Understood! All ships, concentrate fire on the nearest star craft carrier!" he orders. The gunship fleet changes course.

Inside the Red Republic flagship, the _RRS Zedong_, the Admiral Yao is among his top advisors inside the combat command center. "Status report, aru!" commands Yao. "Sir, it appears that their heavily armed frigates have changed course toward the carrier fleet. The must be trying to knock out our fighter support," replies an advisor. "Then tell all fighters to stop those frigates, aru!" orders Yao. The advisor nods and returns to his station. As the battle rages, Gilbert notices several divisions of fighters pull away from the fray. "Ludwig! Some bogies are up to no good!" he says. "Roger that, I see them. Divisions 3 and 8, on me! Gilbert, keep any Reds off my tail!" commands Ludwig. "Roger that!" says Gilbert. Ludwig leads the 3rd and 8th Division after the separated enemy fighters. They clash among the frigates. The European fighters eventually drive the Communist fighters away, but two of the nine heavy gunships were lost. The gunships finally reach the carrier fleet. "FIRE AT WILL!" shouts Captain Zwingli. The heavy frigate fleet opens fire, tearing the carriers apart. Before they can finish off the last carrier, the _RRS Zedong_ intervenes. It effortlessly crushes the heavy gunship fleet. "Captain Zwingli, get out of there!" shouts Captain Kirkland. "It's too late for me! Just win this battle!" he retorts. With that, the _Zedong's_ "Dragon's Breath" particle accelerator cannon obliterates Zwingli's frigate in a single blow.

"Damn it! Engage the enemy flagship!" commands Captain Kirkland. The _Europa _sails full speed ahead until it is adjacent to the _Zedong_. The two dreadnoughts open fire on each other. They blast away at each other for several minutes, but the _Europa's _superior shielding technology prevails. The _Zedong_ begins to explode and fall apart. Admiral Yao and his top advisors make their way to the escape pods. "You haven't seen the last of me, Captain Kirkland, ARU!" Shouts Yao as his escape pod jettisons into the blackness of space. Yao contacts Admiral Ivan Braginski. "Come in, _RSS Lenin_. This is Admiral Yao, I need immediate pick up. My fleet was defeated by the European Union." After a few moments, a response is heard. "We hear you loud and clear, Admiral. Bear Fleet en route."

Once the few remaining Communist ships retreat, Captain Kirkland survey's the damage. The EU 2nd Fleet lost 17 cruisers, 21,000+ personnel. The RR Dragon Fleet lost 22 cruisers, 27,000+ personnel. Arthur takes off his hat and orders a fleet wide moment of silence for the loss Captain Basch Zwingli.

* * *

><p>Alfred and Kiku are leaving the Great Union Theater. They are holding hands, laughing and talking about the play. They stop at the top of the steps. Alfred looks at his watch. "Hm… It's only ten past five, what to do?" he mumbles. Kiku, not fully understanding him, says, "I want to try a hamburger." Alfred looks down at the beautiful Asian with look of disbelief. "You mean to tell me, that you have never had a hamburger?" asks Alfred. "Well, no, actually. I haven't," replies Kiku. "Well then, kid, I know just where to get one. Let's go," says Alfred, dragging Kiku by the wrist over to hail a taxi. <em>Kid…<em>

They arrive at a large, lit up stadium. Alfred gets out, walks round the back of the car, and opens the door for Kiku. Once out, he takes Kiku by the hand and leads him into the stadium. The ticket collector looks at him, smiles, then lets him pass without a ticket. "You are quite revered, Alfred," comments Kiku. "Nah, I just know people," replies Alfred. He leads Kiku to the third row from the court. "Perfect! Close enough to smell the sweat, far enough to avoid the ball," says Alfred with a big smile. "Avoid the ball?" asks Kiku. "Yeah. This is a basketball game," replies Alfred, his face lighting up. It was becoming very obvious to Kiki that Alfred loved basketball. After a few minutes, the game starts. The announcer calls out the teams, introduces the coaches, and mentions the sponsors. What happened next, neither Alfred nor Kiku were prepared for.


	8. The Rocket's Red Glare

Hey, guys and gals! Chapter 8 is here! I hope that you enjoy it!

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS HARDCORE, DETAILED YAOI. IF YOU ARE OFFENDED BY SUCH CONTENT, PLEASE SKIP THIS CHAPTER.**

* * *

><p>Kiku is looking around in awe at the stadium. He looks back at the court to find two teams of tall, very fit men. Suddenly, Kiku is alarmed by several reporters storming Alfred and himself.<p>

"Alfred! Which team are you rooting for?"

"Hey, Alfie! What brand of hamburger is your favorite?"

"Mr. Jones, please gives a few remarks about this stadium's service!"

The reporters are relentless. Kiku becomes very nervous and distraught. Alfred's gets a chill down his spine as he hears the announcer notice the ruckus. He swallows and braces for the recoil.

"What's this, folks? Could it be? It is! It appears we have a very special guest with us tonight! Please welcome the President's son, ALFREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEED JOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONES!"

The crowd explodes into cheering. Kiku's face goes blank as his head slowly turns to Alfred. Alfred's face turns red as he rubs the back of his neck. The crowd's attention is drawn away when the referee performs the toss up. The crowd focuses on the game. The players compete with incredible intensity. Kiku is still staring at Alfred. "Heh… sorry about all of the…"

"You are the President's son?" asks Kiku, interrupting Alfred.

"You know what that is?" asks Alfred.

"I have done enough reading to know what that is, Alfred Jones," replies Kiku. Suddenly, to Alfred's surprise and relief, a smile stretches across Kiku's face. Kiku turns back to the game as he begins to talk to himself aloud. "I am being taken on the tour of my dreams by the son of the most powerful Human alive," he says.

"Yeah… pretty crazy, huh?" chuckles Alfred nervously.

"Crazy awesome, I would say," replies Kiku, taking Alfred's hand. Alfred smiles. Kiku begins to sniff the air. "What is that… terrific smell?" he asks, looking around. Alfred sniffs and smiles.

"That, my friend, is the smell of the greatest food in the galaxy: the hamburger." A vendor descends the stairs until he is in range of Alfred's beckoning. Alfred calls him over and asks for two hamburgers. He tries to pay, but the vendor refuses. He hands one of the foil covered sandwiches to Kiku, beginning to unwrap his own. Kiku, amused by Alfred's excitement, unwraps his burger. He observes it for a few seconds, noting its massive size and frightening greasiness. _Bottoms up_… Kiku closes his eyes and takes a big bite of the monstrous sandwich. After a few moments of chewing, he slowly opens his eyes. He swallows, then looks at Alfred. Alfred has a cheesy grin on his face.

"Well?" asks Alfred. Without saying a word, Kiku reverts his attention to the sandwich and devours it ravenously. "Hehe. I thought so," says Alfred with a look of contentment. Over the course of the game, Kiku eats two more hamburgers. Alfred is amazed at how much the little Asian can consume. After the game, Kiku and Alfred leave the stadium arm in arm. Alfred hails a cab, and the two get in.

"Where are we going?" asks Kiku.

"My uncle owns a penthouse on Franklin Avenue. I thought it would be a nice place for you to stay the night," replies Alfred.

"A penthouse in the capital? Your uncle must have substantial wealth. What does he do?" asks Kiku.

"Well, he owns Archer Avionics. They build all of our military's star fighters," replies Alfred. Kiku looks at him in amazement.

"So, you mean to tell me that your grandfather is the Fleet Admiral, your father is the President, and your uncle owns one of the largest military hardware corporations in the United States?" asks Kiku, a smirk on his face.

"Yeah, I was born into awesomeness," replies Alfred, putting his hands behind his head. Kiku giggles and throws his arms around Alfred's body.

"I love you, Alfred," Kiku says softly. Alfred embraces Kiku and holds him tightly.

"I love you to, kid," whispers Alfred. Once they arrive at the building, they take the elevator up to the penthouse. Upon entering, Kiku is struck by how luxurious it is. He had never seen anything like it. Alfred walks over to a key pad and types in a several digit code. Upon doing so, the fireplace ignites; the shutters open, revealing a beautiful view of the city at night; and a soft music begins to play. Alfred lifts his arm up and sniffs his armpit (while Kiku is not looking, of course). "Whew. I'm gonna hit the shower, kid. I'll be out in a minute," says Alfred. Kiku nods, sitting down on the black leather sofa.

Alfred goes into the restroom and undresses. He steps into the shower and closes the curtain. He turns the hot water on and stands under it, giving a sigh of relief. He stands there long enough to let the restroom get steamy. He gets his hair wet and runs his fingers through it. Suddenly, he hears a soft noise from behind him. He turns around to see a naked Kiku. Alfred looks up and down the beautiful Asian's luscious body.

**LAST WARNING: HARDCORE YAOI INBOUND**

* * *

><p>"Alfred, I… I do not know if this is inappropriate, but I could not resist. I had to see you… to see you… to… without… clothing…" stammers a visibly nervous Kiku, but to Alfred's great surprise, Kiku advances aggressively. Kiku presses his lips against Alfred's firmly, inserting his tongue shortly after. Their tongues explore each others' mouths vigorously. Alfred, intrigued to see how far Kiku will go, does not put that much effort into it. This only provokes Kiku more. Kiku brings his body in, pressing his groin up against Alfred's. He slides one hand in between their bodies, grabbing Alfred's mildly erect penis (which is quite large all ready). It gradually hardens as Kiku tugs and strokes it. Finally, Alfred participates. He grabs Kiku's hips and anchors him in. He pulls away from Kiku's mouth and begins to kiss down his neck and shoulder. He moves down his body, kissing all the way. He finally reaches Kiku's genitals, which he kisses several times before putting in his mouth. Kiku's breathe hitches as Alfred begins to suck. After a few minutes of sucking, Alfred stands back up, holding his and Kiku's erect penises together in one hand. He continues making out with the luscious Asian as he strokes their genitals. After a few more minutes. Kiku pulls away and turns around, presenting his anus to Alfred. Alfred moves without hesitation. He touches Kiku's anus with the head of his penis. He presses in slowly. Kiku's breathe hitches as he feels his anus getting stretched by Alfred's large penis. Once Alfred has fully penetrated Kiku, he goes all the way in. The Asian moans in ecstasy as Alfred begins to thrust over and over. Alfred is very strong, each thrust jolting Kiku's body. Alfred thrusts and thrusts and thrusts some more as Kiku continues to moan and pant. Finally, Alfred groans as he presses his penis as far as it can go, filling Kiku with an impressive load of semen. Kiku yelps in both pain and pure ecstasy. Alfred slowly pulls his penis out of Kiku, breathing heavily. An exhausted Kiku turns back around to face Alfred, leaning against the shower wall. Alfred drops to his knees and continues sucking Kiku's penis. After a few minutes, Kiku moans as he ejaculates an equally impressive load of semen all over Alfred's face. Alfred stands up and laughs. Kiku gives a weak smile, falling into Alfred's arms. The two finish showering and put on their night wear. The two lay together on the bed, Alfred spooning Kiku. Alfred is running his fingers through Kiku's soft, black hair.<p>

"Alfred, do you love me?" asks Kiku.

Alfred, puzzled by this question, replies, "Of course I love you, Kiku."

"How do I know you LOVE me?" asks Kiku.

"I'll show you," replies Alfred. Kiku, content with this answer, falls asleep. Alfred does the same shortly after.


	9. A Day in the Life

Howdy, everyone! Sorry for the late update! I am still working on my other story (ANGEL). It is much longer and is an original fiction, so I have to make up everything. Anyway, here is chapter 9. Enjoy!

* * *

><p>The next morning, Alfred wakes up to find Kiku gone. He sits up abruptly, looking around the room. Suddenly, he smells something delightful. He gets out of bed and makes his way to the kitchen. He finds Kiku rummaging through the pantry as several items are cooking on the stove top.<p>

"Good morning, Alfred," says Kiku, giving a soft smile. Alfred smirks and walks over to the breakfast table.

"Whatcha makin'?" asks Alfred.

"I am making steamed rice with nori, miso soup, and tamagoyaki," replies Kiku as he busily prepares the food. Alfred has a blank stare on his face.

"Wait… What? You're making a hobbity-hoopity-whatty?" asks Alfred. Kiku chuckles.

"Just be patient. You will see soon enough," replies Kiku. After a few more minutes, the food is ready, and Kiku brings it to the table. Kiku hands Alfred a spoon, but he uses chopsticks himself

"Hey, what are those?" asks Alfred, gesturing at the chopsticks.

"These are called Hashi, or chopsticks," replies Kiku. He picks up a bite of rice and put it in his mouth. Alfred watches with great curiosity.

"C-can I try?" asks Alfred. Kiku is delighted.

"Of course you may try!" he replies, going to his bag and getting a second pair. He returns to the table and hands them to Alfred. He shows him how to hold them (which Alfred has a hard time doing). "Now, just pick up a piece of food," says Kiku. Kiku folds his arms and watches intently.

"Uh… ok…" says Alfred. He tries to pick up his food over and over again, but to no avail. Kiku is, of course, thoroughly entertained. He finally takes the chopsticks from Alfred.

"Here, like this," he says, picking up some rice and putting it in Alfred's mouth. Alfred and Kiku both laugh. Kiku slowly moves closer to Alfred. Just as their lips are about to touch, Alfred's phone (for the lack of a better term) rings.

"Heh, sorry. One sec," he says as he gets up and heads for the device. He answers the call.

"Hello?"

…

"Oh hey! What's up, Mattie?"

…

"Really, you finished it all ready? You did promise I would be the first to test it."

…

"Well, yeah! I'll head over as soon as I'm done with breakfast. See ya soon, bro!"

Alfred hangs up the phone. He returns to Kiku, wrapping his arms around the Asian's waist. "Where were we?"

* * *

><p>Roderich Edelstein, the European Union's ambassador to the Galactic Council, enters the colossal meeting chamber onboard the United Nations' neutral space station. He is accompanied by his secretary, Elizabeta Héderváry, and the EU Secretary of Defense, Romano Vargas. The three take their seats as delegates from the other factions do the same. Once everyone is seated, the meeting begins. The first to speak is the Red Republic's ambassador, Toris Laurinaitis.<p>

"Greetings, fellow delegates. The Red Republic has come before you today to present what we see as a case of violent imperialism. The European Union has resorted to using piracy tactics in an attempt to weaken our supply lines in neutral sectors, the most recent incident being over the forest world of Feltesia," says Toris.

"Objection! That planet was claimed by the European Union long before the Red Republic's forces arrived. You commandeered our planet in YOUR mad grab for resources. We had no intentions of engaging the Red forces over Feltesia, but their use of scare tactics and pillaging left us no choice!" retorts Roderich.

The delegates begin to argue and yell at one another. The Empire of the Rising Sun's delegates simply sit and watch in silence. An agent approaches the head Japanese ambassador and whispers something into his ear. The ambassador nods. The agent opens the door to the chamber, and two unfamiliar men and one unfamiliar woman enter the chamber.

"Looks like things haven't changed a bit around here," says the woman. The two men chuckle and shake their heads. The room goes silent.

Roderich's eyes widen with disbelief as he beholds the American flag pin on their suits. "Can it be?"

* * *

><p>Alfred and Kiku step out of the taxi. Kiku stares at the building for a few moments before turning and asking Alfred. "What is this place?"<p>

"It's a firing range for experimental weaponry," replies Alfred. The two enter the building and make their way down a few corridors. They finally reach the range. To Kiku's amazement, there is man standing before him that looks exactly like Alfred, but his hair is longer and wavier.

"Hey, Mattie!" says Alfred, hugging the doppelganger. "Hey Kiku, I'd like you to meet my twin brother, Matthew. He's the brains in the family." Kiku shakes his hand.

"I am pleased to meet you, Matthew-san," says Kiku.

"Likewise, Kiku," replies the much softer spoken of the two.

"So, brosky, where is Tony?" asks Alfred. Matthew holds up three fingers. He puts down one at a time. When he reaches zero, something lands on Alfred's back, hugging his neck. Kiku is horrified as an alien life form is assaulting Alfred. _No alien is going to take my boyfriend!_ In a flash, Kiku strikes him with a devastating karate chop. The alien falls to the ground, rolling around in pain.

"You are safe now, Alfred," says Kiku sternly. Alfred and Matthew burst into laughter. Alfred helps the little grey alien off of the ground. Kiku is thoroughly confused.

"Kiku, I'd like to introduce you to my good friend, Tony," says Alfred. Tony reluctantly holds out his hand to be shaken. Kiku shakes it with equal reluctance. The alien walks over to a table and grabs two rifles. He hands one to Alfred and one to Kiku. He points at the range and makes cacophony of noises that Kiku finds completely unintelligible. Alfred taps Kiki on the shoulder and motions for him to follow. The four go over to the range and get set up. Alfred holds up the rifle and looks down the sights. He briefly glances at Kiku, who he finds glancing back. Suddenly, intense competitiveness fills the air.

"You're going down, kid," taunts Alfred.

"We shall see," replies Kiku, taking aim.


	10. Home on the Range

Hey guys and gals! I am, once again, terribly sorry for the late update. The next chapter will not take as long to be uploaded, I promise. I owe the readers another apology. The story has been kind of slow, but it is going to get exciting again, I swear! This chapter is proof. Anyway, as always, enjoy!

* * *

><p>Alfred tightens his grip, slightly adjusting his fingers to find the perfect positioning. Kiku takes a deep breath and closes his eyes. Suddenly, the "clear to fire" light comes on, accompanied by a buzzer. Kiku's eyes open and Alfred clenches his teeth as the two unleash their fury on the targets. One by one, the targets pop up and are shot back down. The other gunmen practicing at the range lower their weapons and look on in awe. Alfred's and Kiku's magazines run out at the same time. They switch them out for new ones with lightning speed. After several minutes and hundreds of rounds fired, the "clear to fire" light goes off, repeating the buzzer noise. The two slowly lower their weapons. Kiku is breathing heavily. Sweat slowly runs down Alfred's temple.<p>

After a moment of silence, Matthew clears his throat. "Well, let's run the scores, shall we?" He and Tony make their way to an array of screens and keyboards. After a few moments, Matthew turns around and motions at the score board. Alfred's name pops up with "Accuracy: 97%" beside it. "Read it and weep, keeks," says a content Alfred, leaning on his rifle. A few seconds later, Kiku's name appears on the board accompanied by "Accuracy: 99%." "It is you who should be weeping, Alfy," Kiku retorts in a cocky tone. Alfred's jaw drops. The other gunmen cheer for Kiku. Kiku gives a soft smile and thanks them. Matthew approaches Alfred and puts his hand on Alfred's shoulder. "It's ok, bro. You're still awesome in my book," he consoles. In his head though, he is thinking, "EAT THAT, AL! EEEEEEEAAAAAAT IIIIIIIIIIT! IN YOUR FACE, BRO! HOW DOES IT FEEL TO BE A LOSER? WOOOOOOOOOOOH!"

One of the men cheering for Kiku approaches him and holds out his hand to be shaken. "What's your name, son?" he asks. "Honda Kiku," replies Kiku, shaking the man's hand. "Well, Mr. Kiku, I would like to thank you for beating my son's ass on the range. He needed a good lesson in humility," says the man. Kiku smiles, remembering that Americans put their surname last. _Wait... Son… What?_ Kiku realizes who it is. He takes one step back and bows over and over again. "Mr. President, I am terribly sorry. I did not show you ample respect," he says very quickly. The president lets out a belly laugh. "It's all good. So, where did you meet my son?" he asks. "Actually, sir, I… kind of… sort of… rescued him," Kiku replies nervously. "That was you that got him off of that God forsaken rock? Well, you have my thanks. My son, for all his shortcomings, is my pride and joy. He is going to carry on my legacy one day… I hope. Has he been giving you any trouble?" the president asks sternly. "Oh no, sir. Actually, it is quite the opposite. He has been very pleasant company," Kiku replies.

He looks over at Alfred, who is talking to Tony about the weapon, and drifts off into thoughts about the night he and Alfred shared an intimate moment in the shower. Suddenly, his thoughts are broken by the realization that he has not heard a word the President has said. "What do you think?" asks the president. "I… Well, sir, I…" "Dad, Stop boring my boyfriend with politics! You'll scare him away," says Alfred, jumping to the rescue. Kiku lets out a sigh of relief. "Of course, sorry. Well, you two have fun now… but not too much fun," says the president winking at them both. "Dad, you're embarrassing me," says Alfred dryly. The president lets out another powerful laugh and leaves the range.

Alfred, still pouting about his loss, puts his hands in his pockets and kicks invisible rocks. Kiku throws his arms around Alfred, burying his face in Alfred's chest. He takes a deep breath, inhaling Alfred's essence. He looks up into Alfred's beautiful blue eyes and says, "Alfred, please don't be mad at me." Alfred huffs, but he embraces Kiku and replies, "I'm not mad, kid." He kisses Kiku's forehead. Kiku lets out a soft giggle and squeezes Alfred, burying his face in Alfred's chest once again. "Hey, Kiku, Tony invited us to get a drink. He wants to take us to the bar he owns outside of US Space. You up for it?" asks Alfred. Kiku nods his head. "Great, let me go tell him you said yes," says Alfred. He tries to walk away, but Kiku holds onto him. "I'm not done holding you," Kiku mumbles through Alfred's shirt. "Oh, right," says Alfred, softly hugging Kiku. After a few more moments, Kiku lets go. He takes Alfred's hand and walks him over to Tony. "We would be honored to accompany you, Mr. Tony," says Kiku. Tony puts his arms in the air and sways back and forth rapidly, making what Kiku could best understand to be joyful noises.

* * *

><p>An alien landing craft is approaching an alien star cruiser. It docks inside one of the cruisers many hangar bays. When the ramp lowers, several humans, each in unique attire, descend onto the hangar floor and are then escorted to the bridge. Awaiting them is a well decorated alien commander.<p>

"Finally, you have arrived. I trust our transport was accommodating," says the alien.

"It was sufficient," replies one of the humans.

"Good, good. Do any of you know why you have been summoned on board my ship, a place where no human has ever set foot?" asks the commander.

"Well, we're all bounty hunters, so we can only assume you need someone dead… Someone who is hard for a Sandulhari to get near, perhaps?" replies one of the humans.

"That is correct. Your target will not be easy to kill by any means, but that is why I have assembled the best," replies the Sandulhari commander.

"Whose fate has been sealed?" asks one of the bounty hunters.

The Sandulhari commander turns around, revealing a scar across one of his eyes and a cybernetic eye in its place, and says, "Alfred Jones."


	11. Walking into Trouble

I told you it wouldn't be that long. ;) Anyway, here is chapter 11. Enjoy!

Some pronunciation tips:

Rhezoult (Ray-zoo-lt)

Sandulhari (Sand-ool-har-ee)

Ruaugar (Roo-owe-gar)

* * *

><p>The Sandulhari commander watches as the bounty hunters' transport makes its jump to hyperspace.<p>

"Rhezoult, are you here?" he asks. A being uncloaks beside him. It appears to be a mix between a human and a cobra.

"Yesssssss, my lord?" the being asks.

"Follow them and watch them closely. As soon as Alfred is disposed of, wipe them all out," he orders.

"It shall be done, my massssssster," replies Rhezoult, vanishing in an instant. The commander stands in silence, gazing out into the vastness of space. He has a flash back of Alfred slashing his face with a laser sword. His brow furrows. "Your doom is nigh, Jones. There is no escape from the wrath of General Nexris!"

* * *

><p>The next morning, Alfred, Kiku, and Tony are slowly but surely making their way through the absurdly crowded star port. Humans and aliens alike are shoulder to shoulder trying to reach their destinations. After an hour of waiting, the three finally make it onto the transport. To Kiku's dismay, his seat is located four rows behind and one seat to the left of Alfred's seat. He takes his seat. Alfred, seeing that Kiku is incredibly nervous, kneels down beside him. "Hey, baby, it's gonna be fine. These guys won't hurt you, I promise," he says softly, kissing Kiku's forehead. Kiku force a smile. The final call for passengers to find their seats is given over the intercom. "See ya, babe," says Alfred as he makes his way to his seat.<p>

The transport takes off. After about three hours of flying, Alfred and Tony are sound asleep. Kiku, on the other hand, would never dream of sleeping. Sitting on his right is a frighteningly armed individual (an alien, of course). To his left, across the aisle, is an alien with ten tentacles for arms. Kiku shudders. He sees a human waitress coming down the aisle, passing out food trays. One alien tries to grab a second tray, but she slaps his hand (if you could call it that). She finally reaches Kiku and hands him a tray. It has a cup of white rice, pecan crusted chicken, a bag of peanuts, a bottle of water, and a chocolate chip muffin. He gives a sigh of relief. _Ah, food. Perhaps this will take my mind off of everything else, at least for some time_.

Without any warning, the alien on his right snatches his chocolate chip muffin and devours it in one gulp. Kiku gives him a disgruntled look. The alien simply looks at him and screeches, pieces of saliva and chocolate hitting Kiku's face. He wipes off his face, looking back at his tray in despair. He opens the bag of peanuts and pours them out onto his tray. Suddenly, a long snout descends from behind him and vacuums up all of his peanuts. Kiku turns around to see a massive alien looking down at him. It also makes a loud noise, but its call sounded more like a fog horn. He looks back at his tray. He takes the bottle of water and drinks it down very quickly. When he looks back down, the tentacle bearing alien is trying to steal his rice. He grabs the tentacle and squeezes, giving the alien a sharp look. The alien concedes, withdrawing his tentacle. Kiku quickly eats his rice so that no other… thing… can try to take it. Surprisingly, no one even attempted to take the chicken. Kiku takes a bite and quickly realizes why. Kiku crinkles his nose at the disgusting dish. _This is awful!_ The alien to his right laughs and snorts at him. Kiku looks down to see him offering his own muffin. Kiku smiles and takes it. The alien nods before laying head back to rest. Kiku eats the muffin which, unlike the chicken, is delicious. With a full stomach, Kiku lays his head back, falling asleep shortly.

* * *

><p>The American diplomats are being ferried to the Japanese imperial palace. They look out of the windows, marveling at the magnificence of Tokyo. The astonishing architecture is a sight to behold; skyscrapers as far as the eye can see, piercing the heavens. Upon arriving at the palace, they are stricken with awe at its majesty. Its beauty is unmatched across the earth. The doors alone are unbelievable. The thirty foot (9.144 meters) tall by twelve foot (3.6576 meters) wide doors are made of ivory. In the center of the doors is the rising sun, made of a single ruby (but split down the middle so that the doors can open) mined from Trildeskia's seventh moon. The great doors open (mechanically of course), revealing the splendor of the inner palace. The diplomats look on with wonder as they are led to the throne room. As they walk through the palace, one of the escorts points out the array of lenses and mirrors spanning the length of the palace. At a certain time of morning, he explains, the sun shines through the palace, ultimately striking the great ruby on the front doors. The ruby lights up, illuminating the courtyard with red light. The diplomats are fascinated by this. They finally reach the throne room. The emperor's throne and the walls around it are made of mirrors. Light, directed by lenses and mirrors, shines onto the throne, illuminating the room with blinding light. The diplomats cover their faces. The emperor orders for the shutters to be sealed, and it is done. The diplomats lower their arms and immediately kneel. The emperor rises from his throne and approaches them. "Rise," he commands. They comply. "Welcome to Tokyo, the heart of our glorious empire. We are honored to have you as our guests," says the emperor. "Truly, the honor is all ours," replies the female diplomat.<p>

* * *

><p>Kiku is sound asleep. He is so asleep, in fact, that he does not realize that his head is lying on the alien's shoulder next to him. He is suddenly awoken by Alfred's hand on his knee. "Hey, Kiku, we're here," he says softly. Kiku, still half asleep slumps up, laying his head on Alfred's abdomen. Alfred chuckles. He helps Kiku up. Kiku quickly becomes aware of his surroundings as the infernal ruckus of aliens in a hurry begins. They make their way off of the transport, out of the star port, and into a taxi. Tony says something to the alien and hands him some money. The taxi driver takes the money and abruptly pulls into the busy street, jerking Kiku around. The driver is crazy, swerving in and out of traffic (oncoming traffic as well). Kiku feels like clinging to the ceiling. Alfred and Tony are both completely calm. After what seemed like an eternity to Kiku, the ride is over. The three step out. "We're here," says Alfred, taking a big whiff of the air. Kiku lightly sniffs. It smells repulsive. "What is that terrible smell?" he asks. "Ruaugar Ale, best in the galaxy," replies Alfred, "but be careful, it makes people... well, aliens... a little crazy."<p> 


	12. A Night to Remember

Hey everyone! I have had some new inspiration, so y'all will be receiving new chapters rapidly for a bit. Here it is, chapter 12!

**WARNING: YAOI INBOUND! If YOU ARE OFFENDED BY MALE x MALE LOVE, PLEASE SKIP THAT SECTION. ANOTHER WARNING WILL BE ISSUED BEFORE HAND.**

That's about it! Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Alfred, Kiku, and Tony enter the bar. It is an old, musty building that looks as if it has not had maintenance in some time. Tony walks around the bar and types a several digit code into a panel hidden under the bar. A shelf with bottles covered in cobwebs moves to the side, revealing a high tech hallway with neon lights lining the walls. Kiku can immediately hear the dark beats coming from the other end. Alfred takes Kiku's hand and leads him down the hall. Upon reaching the end of the hall, Alfred stops and turns to Kiku. He asks, "are you ready for the time of your life?" Kiku nods. <em>What could be so amazing about an alien infested night club?<em> Tony opens the door.

Kiku covers his eyes as blinding lights shines in his face. Before him is a massive, multi-level club filled with hundreds of humans and aliens. The music's bass is deep, shaking him to the bone. The air is filled with the smell of exotic herbs (being smoked) and alien alcohol. The three step onto an elevator that takes them to the bottom level, five floors down. "Welcome to the VIP floor," says Alfred. Tony leads them over to the bar where he takes out a large bottle of Ruaugar Ale. He pours each of them a glass. He then takes out a small vile of a glowing purple liquid. He puts a single drop in each of their drinks. He makes a series of suggestive noises and hands them the drinks. Each takes his drink. Kiku smells it, crinkling his nose at the distasteful odor. Kiku looks over at Alfred, who is all ready gulping his. _Well, bottoms up_. Kiku follows suit. Once he has downed the entire glass, Kiku sets it down (as opposed to Alfred slamming his down) and leans back in the bar chair. _Nothing is happening… Nothing is happening… Nothing is happening…_ He looks over at Alfred, who is holding up three fingers. He puts down one finger at a time. As his last remaining finger descends, time begins to slow.

Suddenly, all of Kiku's senses are heightened 1,000 fold. He is suddenly aware of every little thing happening in the room, particularly Alfred. He can hear and feel Alfred's heart beat. He can smell Alfred's body, which fills him with lust. Alfred gets up out of the chair. He takes both of Kiku's hands and takes him to the center of the dance floor. He begins to dance on Kiku. Kiku's senses overload. The rhythm of the music, Alfred's blazing blue eyes, the feeling of Alfred's body, and the neon rainbows all around him send Kiku into overdrive. Kiku immediately begins to dance as well. He loses himself entirely, becoming one with Alfred. For that one moment, every single being in the universe ceases to exist except for the one right in front of him. He can't take it. He grabs Alfred and kisses him passionately, forcing his tongue into Alfred's mouth. Alfred retaliates with lustful vitality. The two lovers dance and kiss for several hours, although to them it seemed like just a few minutes. Tony approaches them and hands Alfred a key. Alfred smiles and nods to Tony. Tony gives him a two-finger salute and returns to the bar. Alfred grabs Kiku's wrist and runs toward a door in the back of the room. He uses the key to open it and leads Kiku inside. It is a luxurious private room.

* * *

><p><strong>*YAOI WARNING*<strong>

Kiku jumps into Alfred's arms, wrapping his legs around Alfred's waist. They lock lips as Alfred stumbles backward onto the bed. Their giggles are muffled by the passionate kiss. Alfred rolls over, putting Kiku on the bottom. He takes Kiku's shirt of and begins to kiss his neck and shoulders. He moves down to Kiku's chest, sucking Kiku's nipples vigorously. Kiku breathes heavily, his body writhing in pleasure. Alfred moves down further, kissing the bulge in Kiku's pants. As Alfred strokes and kisses, it gets bigger and bigger. Alfred unbuttons and unzips Kiku's pants, pulling out his erect penis. He licks and strokes as Kiku begins to moan softly, running his fingers through Alfred's hair and holding onto Alfred's head. Alfred pulls Kiku's pants and underwear off completely. He undresses himself. He spreads Kiku's legs wide and lies on top of him. He begins to make out with Kiku again.

* * *

><p>A shady man enters the shanty decoy bar. Tony's cousin is cleaning out a glass. He looks up at the man, offering him a drink.<p>

"No thank you, I'm actually looking for someone. Do you by any chance know of an alien like yourself named Tony?" asks the man. The cousin responds with an apparent yes.

"Is he in tonight?" asks the man. Tony's cousin says no. The man lets out a sigh. He pulls out an orb and presses a button on it. It levitates in the air and begins to play a holographic recording. Tony's cousin watches as Tony types in the code and leads Alfred and Kiku into the club.

"I'll forgive you and forget that you lied to me if you type in the code and let me in," says the man. Tony's cousin refuses. The man pulls out a terrifying handgun, putting right in the cousin's face.

"Now don't make me do something I don't want to have to do. The code, now," demands the man. The cousin, filled with fear and sadness, types in the code. When the shelf slides open, the man looks back at the cousin.

"My thanks," he says, pulling the trigger and blowing the cousin's brain matter onto the wall behind him. He enters the club.

Instead of taking the elevator, he jumps off of the balcony, slowing his descent with rocket boots. The unsuspecting dancers dive out of the way as he slams onto the dance floor below. Tony turns around to see what the noise was only to find the barrel of a pistol in his face.

"Let's talk," says the man, grinning maniacally.


	13. The Great Escape Part 1

At last, some action! Here it is, chapter 13! Enjoy!

* * *

><p>Alfred lifts his head at the sound of a ruckus outside the room. "Wait here, Kiku. I'll be right back," he says, getting up to put on some pants. Kiku slaps Alfred's buttocks as he is walking away and says, "hurry back." Alfred laughs. He puts on his pants and exits the room. He is horrified at the sight of Tony being held up by the throat.<p>

"Hey, asshole, who do you think you are?!" asks Alfred. The man's head snaps toward Alfred sharply. He drops Tony and spins around, aiming dual handguns directly at Alfred.

"Well well well, what do we have here? If it isn't the President's boy. Just my luck. You're exactly who I was looking for. Now, you're going to be coming with me. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. The choice is yours," says the stranger.

"Wait a minute… I know you… You're Atlas Monroe!" exclaims Alfred.

"In the flesh," replies the man.

"Whatever you're here for, you won't get it. I'll die before I let you take me!" shouts Alfred. Kiku hears this. He quickly throws on his clothes and rushes out of the room. Alfred hears the door open. "Kiku! Get back in there!" he says in a panic.

"What is this? I see you've found yourself some penis-plush, you playboy, you. Hehe, maybe killing him will convince you," says Atlas, aiming the gun at Kiku. Just as he pulls the trigger, a hand forces his arm upward, causing the shot to fly into an alien on the balcony. The dead alien plops a few feet in front of him. Atlas turns his head to see a man in a black duster and cowboy hat.

"Always the hasty one, aren't we, Atlas?" says the man with a raspy voice. He motions toward Alfred and Kiku. Atlas turns his head to see Alfred shielding Kiku with his body. "You would have killed our prize," he whispers.

"Don't interfere, Adrian," says Atlas jerking his wrist from the man's grip. Alfred's eyes open wide at the sound of that name.

"Starchild," he whispers. Kiku is becoming increasingly concerned.

"Who are these people, Alfred?" asks Kiku in a whisper.

"They're master bounty hunters," replies Alfred quietly.

"Mr. Jones, I'm going to ask you to surrender yourself without a struggle. It's hopeless. Angela Harkin, Terrance King, and Fredrick Marshall are all looking for you in this very sector. Your capture is inevitable," says Adrian.

"No, he's mine!" shouts Atlas, backhanding Adrian in the face. Adrian falls on his back. Atlas Charges Alfred. Alfred pushes Kiku out of the way. Atlas attempts to tackle him, but Alfred counters with a slam. He grabs Kiku's wrist and begins to run. He is jerked back by the neck.

"Oh no you don't," says Adrian as he slams Alfred's face onto the bar, sliding it through the glasses of alcohol. A few pieces of broken glass cut Alfred's face. Kiku viciously chops Adrian in the kidney and the back of the neck, knocking him off balance. He them flips Adrian over the bar. He helps Alfred up, and the two flee the bar.

Once they are outside, Alfred frantically looks around for a vehicle. He spots an alien parking his hovercycle. He runs over and says, "really need this, sorry dude!" He snatches the bike. The alien grunts, snorts and shakes his fists at Alfred. Kiku jumps on the back, and the two speed off. As they are leaving, a woman on a hovercycle locks on to them and begins her pursuit. Kiku, hearing the second engine, looks behind him to see their assailant. "Alfred, we're being followed!" shouts Kiku. "Angela!" Alfred looks around for something. He spots a handgun in a holster on the side of the hovercycle. He hands it to Kiku and says, "Use this!" Kiku turns himself around and takes aim. He fires several shots at her, but she blocks them with her hand. "Alfred! She is impervious to laser fire!" shouts Kiku.

Angela presses a series of holokeys on her console. The sides of her enhanced hovercycle open, revealing two missiles. They extend outward and fire. Kiku carefully aims and hits one. He attempts to intercept the other, but he is out of ammo. "Alfred, incoming!"

Just as the other missile is about to hit, a laser destroys it from above. Atlas Monroe is in hot pursuit via his rocket boots. He unleashes a storm of lasers with the Gatling lasers on his wrists. Several shots strike Angela's hovercycle. She begins to lose control, but she disconnects some of the equipment, streamlining her vehicle and allowing her to regain control.

Suddenly, several hundred meters down the road, Adrian Starchild descends in a rotary-wing gunship in front of the chase. It opens fire with four large laser cannons. Alfred and Angela swerve left and right, dodging the laser storm. After only a few seconds, a large humanoid mech comes from out of nowhere and grabs the gunship's tail, slamming it to the ground.

"Terrance?" asks Kiku.

"Yep. Terrance," replies Alfred.

The gunships cannons swivel toward the mech and open fire. The mech takes a few hits before retreating and taking cover behind a large rock. The gunship regains altitude and resumes its offensive. Finally, one of the lasers blows out Alfred's hovercycle's front magnetos node. The bike flips, sending Alfred and Kiku skidding and rolling across the ground. The mech picks up Alfred.

"Gotcha!" says Terrance.

"Like hell you do!" shouts Atlas, flying in and kicking the mech square in the cockpit (upper chest). Terrance stumbles backward, dropping Alfred. Alfred is in a daze, but he immediately comes to upon hearing Kiku yelp. He looks up to see Fredrick Marshall holding Kiku in a headlock with a gun to his temple.

"Stop resisting, Alfred. You give yourself up, your little flower goes free. Deal?" asks Fredrick.

The four other hunters close in around him. Alfred looks at Kiku, his heart filled with despair. Kiku shakes his head and mouths, "don't do it, please." Alfred looks down at the ground. He slowly stands up.

"Do you absolutely promise that no harm will come to Kiku?" asks Alfred.

"You have my word, boy," replies Fredrick.

"Alfred, no! Forget me! Get out of here!" shouts Kiku, who has begun to cry.

"I… I can't do that Kiku. I'm sorry," says Alfred, putting his hands behind his head and falling to his knees.


	14. The Great Escape Part 2

*"Back in Black" by ACDC plays in the background*

I'm finally back! I sincerely apologize for the wait! I graduated from college, so I should have more free time to work on my fanfictions now. Well, no need for me to talk anymore. Here is chapter 14 of "Somehwere, Out There."

* * *

><p>As Alfred kneels before his captors, he swiftly and subtly presses a series of points on the underside of his forearm, each point glowing upon contact. Oblivious to this, Fredrick throws Kiku to the ground, approaching Alfred.<p>

Once Fredrick is about 3 meters away, he sees something in the sky. He gradually comes to a stop. Upon realizing that it is descending directly on top of his location, he takes a few steps backward. The object falls directly on top of Alfred, seemingly crushing him. The impact creates a shockwave and cloud of dust. The bounty hunters and Kiku shield their faces.

"What the hell?" whispers Atlas.

Once the dust settles, a large, high-tech pod is resting where Alfred was standing.

"What's going on?!" asks an annoyed Terrance.

"A-Alfred?" whimpers Kiku.

Suddenly, the side of the pod facing Fredrick opens, revealing a bright light and releasing a cloud of steam.

"SHOWTIME!" echoes a loud voice.

Suddenly, Alfred bursts out of the steam, wearing the same suit in which Kiku and the rescue team originally found him. He uppercuts Fredrick with such force that it sends him soaring upward. Alfred lunges into the air, being above Fredrick in an instant. He performs a twirling haymaker to Fredrick's jaw, sending him back toward the ground. Fredrick hits the ground with a thunderous boom, creating a crater on impact. Alfred descends upon him with incalculable force, plowing him further into the ground.

"OPEN FIRE!" shouts Terrance.

The remaining bounty hunters unleash all of their fury on the American. Alfred effortlessly blocks and/or dodges their fire. Adrian launches two missiles at Alfred. The American leaps onto one, steering it toward Terrance.

"AAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Terrance screams.

Alfred jumps off of the missile as it flies into Terrance's mech, blowing him into pieces. While in midair, he catches the second missile, spinning around and throwing at Angela. She leaps from her hover cycle, narrowly dodging the blast. Alfred hits the ground, but only for a millisecond. He dashes toward Adrian's gunship. He jumps onto the cockpit window, giving Adrian a thumbs up.

"Why you arrogant little shit!" growls Adrian.

Alfred climbs over to the missile battery and rips a rocket out. He shoves the rocket into one of the rotary engines, utterly destroying it. Alfred does a spinning back flip off of the ship. He lands in an epic pose facing Kiku as the gunship crashes and explodes behind him. He slowly lifts his head and looks at Kiku. Kiku is as still as a statue, watching with eyes wide open in utter amazement. Angela, seeing an opening, throws a shuriken grenade at Alfred, but he simply spins around and kicks it back at her. The blade lodges itself in her throat before exploding.

Alfred slowly turns his head toward Atlas. Atlas backs away.

"Hehe… We'll meet again, boy," he sneers, turning and running away.

Upon hearing a sound, Alfred quickly turns around to see Adrian Starchild standing before him. The black silhouette of the bounty hunter's duster blowing in the wind against the fiery backdrop intimidates even Alfred.

"Round two?" asks Alfred.

The hunter nods, assuming his fighting stance. Alfred follows suit. They face each other in eerie silence, the only noises being the howling wind and the crackling of fire all around them. In a flash the two engage in hand to hand combat. They are evenly matched.

_How is this possible? How did he even survive the crash and explosion? Even with Alfred's power suit, this bounty hunter is equally as deadly!_

The titanic battle rages on.

"You've gotten better, kid," smirks Adrian.

*punch, punch, block, kick, punch, block, block, kick, kick, punch, punch, block*

"I see your age hasn't slowed you down, old man," retorts Alfred.

*block, block, block, punch, punch, kick, punch, kick, punch, kick, block, punch, punch, punch*

"I'm only thirty, damn it!" shouts Adrian.

Adrian palms Alfred in the chest, sending him sliding backward on his feet. Alfred charges back at him and attacks furiously, but Adrian deflects and counters his attacks, slamming Alfred to the ground.

"Give up, Alfred. I don't want to have to hurt you in front of your boyfriend," taunts Adrian.

Alfred leaps back to his feet. He resumes his offensive against the bounty hunter only to get thrown into a rock.

Kiku, frantically trying to think of a way to help, notices that there are two more suits inside the pod. He runs toward it and gets in. Without him even doing anything, the pod doors close.

"Kiku?!" asks Alfred, not seeing Kiku anywhere.

In Alfred's distraction, Adrian uppercuts him. He stumbles backward, holding his chin. Adrian continues to beat Alfred all around the area. It has now become obvious that Adrian is the better fighter.

Finally, Adrian knocks Alfred onto his back. He stands over Alfred and draws an electrified baton. He lifts it over his head before bringing it to bear, but just as it is about half way down, a hand palms the baton into the air. It flips several times before sticking into the dirt several meters away. Adrian lifts his head to see Kiku wearing a power suit. He leaps backward and assumes his fighting stance.

Kiku helps Alfred off the ground. Alfred looks at Kiku and nods, and the two turn toward Adrian.

"Let's roll," Alfred says as the two charge at Adrian.


End file.
